


While you do everything wrong

by TheyCallMeBol



Series: This Must Be The Place [10]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, I will add tags as we go on so I don't spoil anything?, Keith and Shiro are Siblings, Keith is a kid, Matt and Pidge are there briefly, Shiro is too young for this, Shiro's mom seems bitchy but she is not that bad, broganes, idk how to tag this, oh and Thace is here too, whatever, you probably know what is going to happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-01 21:10:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10930113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheyCallMeBol/pseuds/TheyCallMeBol
Summary: Takashi was a happy kid in a happy house.Shiro thinks sometimes about it nowadays, paying attention to a few important details he missed growing up.Or: How Shiro met Keith.





	1. In the darkest of rooms

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I grew a pair and published this  
> I'm super-dead tired because I woke up way too early to study  
> but I promised myself when I had had two or three too many cups of coffee in my veins I would publish this and here we are I guess
> 
> So  
> I hope you enjoy this!
> 
> Title of the work from the song 'The age of worry' (a song that gives me broganes-feels) , and the chapter title, from the song 'The Projectionist'

The thing about families, is that there is a lot of them on the universe, and each one is different to the rest. In the way the cook their food. At what time they go to bed. In the little ways they tell each other they love them. Maybe the only thing all families have in common is that all of them have problems.

Even the ones that on the outside seem happy. The ones where dad and mom give each other tender looks. The siblings bicker but behave well in front of the guests. They celebrate a white christmas in front of a fireplace and everybody enjoy their presents.

But if you don’t grow inside a family you don’t learn the small details. Maybe dad loves mom more than mom will ever love him. Maybe you haven’t talked in six years about that lost cousin. Maybe the reason the little kid only draws monsters is because it’s the only thing he sees.

Takashi’s family was a normal family after all. And by normal I mean a family with problems. You wouldn’t see those problems if you just knew his mom because you worked with her on the office, or if you had seen his dad gardening on the front yard with a smile.

He remembered a good childhood. But today he often wonders it that is because he was too naive to see reality or if things started to go to hell when he grew up. What he wouldn’t give to be able to ask his parents now. 

He would love to do a lot of things.

He didn’t have siblings. A lot of his classmates at school did. Some of the neighbors’ kids were only-childs too, so he became friends with them. Because a house is lonely when there is not another soul sharing it with you. There were Mom and Dad as well, but when he was alone it wasn’t really home.

The Holts were nice and always had cookies and let him jump on the beds. Matt was his best friend. He was smaller than Takashi, but he always seemed to be bigger than him when he talked, with a weird light in his eyes, as he wasn’t seeing exactly the same Takashi was. They made a good team. They laughed together because sometimes, almost everything is funny with the correct people by your side.

But the years pass and even if you don’t want to (in the moment you want, though), you grow up, and not only your jeans don’t fit you and you have to change shoes every six months, but also you are expected to do things, and get higher grades, and be more polite to strangers that apparently know you, and say ‘Oh dear, look at you. I can’t believe how much you have grown up.’

And one day, Matt’s dad has a huge job offer in the other side of the country, and Matt and Takashi discover together how big their small world truly is, and how much distance there is between them now.

Few years later Matt is not an only-child anymore, and he has a little sister he has to take care of. Takashi finds himself wishing he had a little sibling he had to take care of. But he knows it’s impossible. Not now, anyways. Mom and Dad always seem to fight these days.

 

Is not until he comes home from his first high school party, his first kiss still warm on his lips, that he sees his mom cry for the first time in his life.

He makes sure to be loud when he approaches her, so she has time to look up and wipe her tears out, and give him a false smile.

‘’Welcome home, honey’’ she probably says.

But is weak, it’s weak, it’s weak and that’s not how his mom, his always strong and unbeatable mom should sound.

‘’What’s wrong?’’ he whispers, sitting next to her, on the wooden floor, slowly, like you treat an animal, making sure not to scare it.

‘’Everything is fine now, honey.’’ she says looking at the door. ‘’Your dad will come back soon.’’

He hadn’t realised his dad was not home. His dad was always home.

‘’Where is he?’’ he asked, hesitating, almost afraid of the answer. 

‘’He will come back.’’ she repeated, a true smile taking over her entire face.’’I was afraid he wouldn’t. I was so afraid Takashi…’’

She hugged him and he hugged back.’’Why would he leave us?’’

‘’He will leave him.’’ she said, almost as she wanted ‘him’ to hear.’’She’ll leave him and come back to me.’’

 

Shiro often replay these words in his head when he looks at his brother.

Eventually his dad came back. And he didn’t hear more arguments. And Takashi was happy. He had good grades. He was almost on his green belt. He had a girlfriend. She was nice and she had a nice family. He had good friends at school and Matt on the laptop when he felt lonely.

Two years later he was almost 16 and thinking about his driving license and holidays. Once they had finished their school  year, he and Matt were going to see each other and spend the summer travelling through the country.

Those were the plans.

He was actually booking flights when it happened. Maybe looking how much renting a car would cost. He had just sat on his dad’s desk, not bothering to open his own  profile at the pc.

How would things be today if he had?

Something sounded through the speakers. His dad mailbox had just received a new message. ‘Photo attached’

‘’Dad!’’ he called. ‘’Someone sent you a photo!’’

‘’Who?’’ his dad was on the kitchen, cooking dinner, probably.

‘’I don’t know!’’

‘’Just open it, it might be funny.’’ he said.

So Takashi did. Takashi was a responsible boy, always obeyed his parents.

It was not a funny picture.

It was a kid. About 8 years old, maybe less, he was small. He had black raven hair and a pale skin. He was sitting on a chair, too big for him, on a hospital room. The picture was taken from the bed, probably.

Takashi stood there, almost frozen by the kid’s gaze. Big eyes, almost purple, brows slightly furrowed, looking straight to the camera, as if asking for something.

‘’Dad?’’he said, although it wasn’t his voice anymore. It was more deep.’’Dad who is him.’’

He could hear his dad running upstairs and stumbling till he reached his office’s door.

‘’Who is who…?’’ he asked, almost without colour in his skin, hesitating, scared.

‘’Who is this kid?’’ he asked again, standing. He was almost as tall as his dad now.

‘’I don’t…’’

‘’Dad.’’ Takashi said, his voice deeper as he has never heard himself before.’’Who is-?’’

‘’What is happening?’’ his mom asked walking suddenly on the room, wiping her hands on her skirt.

Both men looked at her and she looked at the pc. Something on her face changed. Her eyes were suddenly more dark.

‘’What is that doing on the pc?’’ she asked, she seemed bigger.

Takashi looked at his father, and he didn’t seem bigger.

‘’He is... he-’’ he muttered.

‘’What does that bitch want now?’’

The silence took over the room and Takashi sat again and read the email.

‘’Apparently that ‘bitch’ is dying.’’ he said, scrolling over. ‘’And he ‘will enter foster care system within two or three months’.’’

His mom stormed out of the room, shoving his dad out of the way. He stood there, glanced at the pc one brief second and ran after her.

Takashi turned and in silence and looked for all the emails that account had sent his dad.

  
Here is the thing about families: even if you do grow up in them, you don’t know what is behind the mask sometimes.


	2. Light shines the brightest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘’You look like my dad.’’ Keith said, looking at him this time.’’Like, a lot.’’  
> ‘’Yeah, that makes sense.’’  
> ‘’Are you his son, too?’’ he asked.  
> ‘’Yep.’’  
> ‘’Are you my brother?’’ Keith asked, whispering, but with energy on his voice.  
> Takashi turned his face and looked to the small kid, at his big purple eyes, pleading. ’’Do you want me to?’’  
> ‘’Are you going to buy me an ice cream?’’  
> ‘’Stop answering with questions, kid.’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again!!  
> I think this is going to stay two chapters long and other stuff related will be in other parts?  
> Idk, I'm still thinking about it  
> Thanks for your comments, kudos and hits!
> 
> The Title is from the song The Projectionist, by Sleeping at last.

‘’Hi.’’

The woman on the bed looked up from her book. Her brows furrowed slightly.

‘’Hi?’’ she asked.

‘’I’m Takashi.’’ he said quickly. ‘’Takashi Shirogane.’’

Something changed on the old woman’s face.

‘’What do you want?’’ she asked, closing her book.

‘’I want to meet Keith.’’ he answered, honestly.

The woman looked at him again. She gestured him to sit on the chair besides the bed.

‘’Why?’’ she asked, cautiously.

‘’He is my brother.’’ he said.’’Or… half-brother? I- just… I just really want to meet him.’’

The woman looked at him, directly at his eyes. Searching.

‘’What if he doesn’t want to meet you?’’

She didn’t seem that old, not really. Not old enough to be dying on a hospital bed. 

‘’Does he even know about me?’’ he asked her, sighing.

‘’No.’’ she answered.

‘’Don’t you want him to?’’ 

‘’Since your father was an insensitive and irresponsible bastard I didn’t consider the possibility of there been a non-asshole living on his house.’’

Takashi closed his mouth and stared at the woman. She stared back.

‘’What do you even know about this whole situation? About Keith?’’

‘’I know he's a kid. And he will be alone soon.’’

This time it was Keith’s grandma who closed her mouth.

‘’I don’t want him to be alone.’’ Takashi added.

‘’What’s your plan then?’’ she said, laying on her bed.’’Convincing your parents to take him?’’

‘’Eh-’’

‘’Because that won’t work. I already tried.’’

‘’No offense, but I think I can convince my parents better than eh… a stranger?’’

‘’Your father had a relationship with my daughter and you think I am a stranger?’’ the woman asked, lifting an eyebrow.

‘’What?’’ Takashi asked, incredulous.

‘’Listen. If you want to know the truth I’ll tell you. I don’t really have anything to lose. But,’’ she looked at him and lifted a finger. ’’You won’t like it.’’

Takashi looked down and considered it. The woman gave him time. 

‘’What’s your name?’’ he asked.

‘’Margareth.’’

Why was that even important? Maybe some part of him wanted someone to blame for this, for not telling him sooner. A part of him, an old and childish part wanted to be mad at her for not appearing in his life before, for keeping such a big secret for him.  _ Why don’t you blame your parents? _

‘’How old is he?’’

‘’Eight years old.’’

‘’Okay.’’ he looked down once more, and saw the chair he was sitting in. He fitted perfectly, it was even comfortable, but he remembered Keith’s picture, and how big the chair seemed when it was his little brother who was sat on it. ‘’Tell me, please.’’

 

Margareth told him, and she was right, he didn’t like any part of the story. But it opened his eyes, and some things about the past years made sense now. 

 

‘’He will come here when he finishes school.’’ Margareth said. ‘’I don’t want you to be here when he comes.’’

‘’Why?’’

‘’I don’t have much more time left. I want all my grandson’s time with me to be mine. I can’t share that.’’ she looked apologetic for the first time since he had entered. ‘’I am sorry.’’

‘’It’s fine.’’ he said, understanding it, somehow. 

She smiled, not really reaching her eyes. Takashi thought that she probably didn’t smile much. She was one of those kind of people.

‘’What should I do now?’’

‘’I don’t know Takashi.’’ she said, sincerely. ‘’I appreciate what you are trying to do. But I don’t know.’’

‘’I will talk to my parents.’’

‘’That won’t solve the problem, you know it.’’ she said, sighing.

‘’I have to try.’’ he stood up, and wrote a note with his phone number and left it on the small table besides the bed. ‘’I’ll come back.’’

‘’Bye Takashi.’’ she said, smiling.’’And thank you.’’

‘’Bye.’’

He didn’t know it then, but he never came back.

He left and closed Margaret's door after him. He sighed and sat on the floor. The world felt heavier now.

‘’Who are you?’’ a man wearing a nurse uniform asked. ‘’I haven’t seen you in Kogane’s room before.’’

‘’I’m Takashi.’’ he answered. ‘’We are friends, I guess.’’

The nurse hummed and sat next to him. He was young, but had marks of experience and exhaustion on his face.

‘’She won’t last long.’’ he said.

‘’I know.’’

‘’Do you know Keith?’’

‘’I want to.’’

The nurse looked at him. 

‘’How old are you?’’ the nurse asked.

‘’I will be sixteen soon.’’

He hummed again.

‘’I was sixteen when I met Keith’s mom.’’ the nurse said. ‘’We were best friends.’’

It was Takashi who hummed this time.’’Do you work here?’’

‘’Yeah.’’ he said, almost tired. ‘’Margareth is here because I asked her to. I wasn’t going to let her just die anywhere.’’

‘’This place seems expensive.’’

‘’It is. It’s fucking expensive for a nurse’s salary.’’ the man said, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes appeared on his face.’’But since I can’t take care of Keith and couldn’t save his mom I felt the need to do something for Margareth.’’

‘’You want to take Keith?’’ Takashi asked. ‘’As his Guardian?’’

‘’I do. But I can’t.’’

‘’Why?’’

‘’I made a lot of mistakes when I was young. And they are kind of written on my criminal record.’’

‘’Oh.’’ Takashi said, and couldn’t hide the disappointment.

‘’Yeah.’’ the nurse agreed. 

They laid on the floor a couple minutes until some other nurse shouted ‘’Thace!’’ and the man stood.

‘’It was nice to meet you, Takashi. I’m glad you are not like your parents.’’

 

Takashi left after that. Keith would be there soon.

 

Two weeks later he was already sixteen. And maybe because of that, maybe because he was alone at a cemetery, dressed in black and holding his tears, as an adult would, he already felt more mature.

Thace had approached him when everything had ended and patted his shoulder a couple times. He left without a word and walked fast towards a small crowd that was hugging a crying kid.

He eventually left.

 

_ (Lately, it seems I'm always the first one to leave). _

 

The lights on his house where on when he arrived. His mother was sitting on the couch, waiting for him.

‘’Where were you, Takashi?’’ she asked.

‘’You know where I was.’’ he answered, not looking at her.

‘’I told you not to go.’’

He took his time to answer. He loved his mum. He did. He kept repeating himself this, unconsciously.  She was nice and gave good hugs even when he had long ago become bigger than her. There was a thing about hugs that mothers just knew how to do right. She hadn’t hugged him a lot lately.

‘’I know.’’

‘’You did it anyways.’’ she walked towards him, standing in front of her son, a head taller than her.

‘’Yes.’’

‘’What happened, darling?’’ she asked placing a hand on his shoulder. It didn’t feel as reassuring as Thace’s hand felt few hours ago.’’When did my small and good son become such an ungrateful person?’’

‘’I am not-’’

‘’You misbehaved, Takashi.’’ her stare was harsh. That was another thing his mom did really well.

‘’Keith-’’

‘’Don’t you dare say his name on my house.’’ she said, voice low. ‘’We won’t talk about this anymore.’’

‘’Mom-’’

‘’No.’’

‘’If you just listened-’’

‘’I have listened enough.’’ her hands curled on a fist. ‘’From your dad. From that woman. That’s the past and you weren’t supposed to know about this.’’

‘’But I know, mom.’’ he said, tired of this conversation they were not-having. ‘’I can’t just forget my brother-’’

‘’He is not anything yours. He doesn’t belong here.’’

‘’Where does he belong then? He is alone now, for god’s sake.’’

‘’And that is unfortunate.’’ she said, and closed her mouth on a thin line. ‘’ But it’s not my fault. You don’t have to make up your stupid father mistakes and neither do I.’’

‘’It’s not a mistake, mom, Keith is a person.’’

Takashi’s mom was a small japanese woman who had grown up on the United States. She was smart, hardworking, and had always dreamed with having the perfect family. Takashi realised in that moment that his mom had never had a perfect family, but she wouldn’t acknowledge it. Because it was what she had been working for her entire life. And she wouldn’t give that up.

‘’Go to your room.’’

‘’Mom-’’

‘’You better obey me this time, Takashi.’’ she said, turning. ‘’You will obey my rules while you are under my roof.’’

They stared at each other. Black to black. People had always said that he had his mother’s eyes. He found himself wishing for the first time it wasn’t true. 

‘’Fine.’’ he said. ‘’If this is how you want to do it, fine.’’

‘’Don’t turn your family down, Takashi.’’ she warned him. ‘’Don’t choose the wrong side.’’

He stopped on his way upstairs, looking at the floor. He had seen those white carpets a thousand times, washed everyday, pristine, just as his mother liked. But for the first time in his life, he started to thought that maybe the carpets that covered his house were more grey than white.

‘’I wasn’t going to choose any side, mother.’’ he said, and something on her face changed. ’’But since you make me choose, I will make sure to be on the right one.’’

 

Everything changed from that day. Thace messaged him almost every week with news about Keith, and where he was staying. Takashi started talking less to his parents and studying more. By the end of the school year he was graduated first of his class and his plans weren’t to travel with Matt but to find his brother. 

His only support those days were Matt and the fact that he knew Keith was okay.

When he started his last year before university one of those constants changed. Keith was not answering Thace’s messages, and he wasn’t really sure what was happening in the foster house anymore.

 

_ ‘’What are you going to do?’’ _ Matt asked.

‘’I don’t know. He lives on another state. I can’t just ask my mother to give me her car and drive there.’’

_ ‘’Ask your father- Katie, hey, you can’t be here.’’ _ Matt’s little sister appeared on the screen. She had huge eyes and was basically Matt but with longer hair.

‘’Hi Katie.’’ Shiro said.

_ ‘’Hi Takashi!!’’ _ the little kid said. _ ‘’When are you coming to see us? You promised!’’ _

‘’I know, I know… maybe this summer.’’

_ ‘’Brilliant!’’ _ she said and Takashi laughed.

‘’Why do you teach your 5-years-old sister those words Matt?’’

_ ‘’The clue is not talking to them as if they were little children. Besides, she is a genius man. you wouldn’t believ-’’  _ Matt got up and walked away.

‘’Yeah…’’

_ ‘’Dude, I have to go, my mom needs help with something.’’ _

‘’Okay, good luck.’’

_ ‘’Talk to your dad. He is not a dick, I’m sure you can find a way to go there.’’ _

‘’Yeah I’ll try. Bye Matt.’’

_ ‘’Bye, Takashi.’’ _

 

His father didn’t give him his car. But that same weekend, some surprise plans took him and his wife away, leaving Takashi alone.

 

That’s how he found himself ditching class for the first time on his life and taking a train, to arrive at a small town and wait in front of a primary school.

When the bell rang he looked till he spotted a small mop of black hair. He doubted for a minute. It would be really weird to just… follow him and start talk to him. He would run, or something. If he was smart he should avoid strangers.

What other option he had, anyways?

 

‘’Hi.’’ he said approaching Keith with a smile

The little boy stopped a second but then kept walking, faster. Takashi sighed and started walking faster too.

‘’Hey… Keith?’’ the kid stopped for real this time, but didn’t turn around. He kept his posture slightly down, a second away to start running.

‘’Hi… I- I am Takashi Shirogane.’’ he said waiting for the boy to turn.

‘’Okay.’’ the kid wasn’t entirely facing him but gave him a side look. ‘’What do you want?’’

‘’Uhm…’’ he didn’t know how to answer that.

‘’How do you know my name?’’ the boy asked, turning this time, not entirely relaxed yet, brows furrowed.

‘’Somebody told me.’’ Takashi said.

‘’Who?’’ he wasn’t buying it.

‘’Your grandma.’’

His purple eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists.

‘’That’s bullshit.’’ he said.

Takashi was taken back for a second.

‘’She did. I was her friend.’’

‘’I don’t believe you Tak- Takas-’’ he looked down and frowned. 

‘’Takashi.’’ he said. Keith looked at him, a small pout on his face.’’What about Shirogane? Shiro? Is it easier?’’

‘’Shiro.’’ he muttered, trying.’’Like hero.’’

‘’Yeah…’’ he said with a smile. He saw a bench and sat down. Keith didn’t follow but was still looking at him. ‘’Sit down, please?’’

The boy looked conflicted for a second, as if considering his options.

‘’What was my grandma’s name?’’ he asked, still not on the bench.

‘’Margareth. She had beautiful blue eyes and a nice smile.’’ Takashi hoped that was enough but Keith was not coming. ‘’She didn’t smile a lot, tho.’’

That seemed to do it. He approached the bench and sat down. He put his bag between the two of them.

‘’I also know Thace.’’ Takashi said.

‘’Thace is nice.’’ Keith muttered.

‘’He is.’’

They stood in silence and Takashi checked the hour.

‘’Do you have to be at home soon?’’ 

‘’That’s not home.’’ Keith answered.

Takashi looked at him but the kid didn’t take his eyes from the ground.

‘’Do you want an ice cream?’’

‘’What do you want Shiro?’’ Keith asked, not bothering to answer.

‘’Well…’’ he wasn’t sure how to answer that. He laid back on the bench. ‘’I want to know you?’’

‘’You look like  my dad.’’ Keith said, looking at him this time.’’Like, a lot.’’

‘’Yeah, that makes sense.’’

‘’Are you his son, too?’’ he asked.

‘’Yep.’’

‘’Are you my brother?’’ Keith asked, whispering, but with energy on his voice.

Takashi turned his face and looked to the small kid, at his big purple eyes, pleading. ’’Do you want me to?’’

‘’Are you going to buy me an ice cream?’’

‘’Stop answering with questions, kid.’’ Takashi said with a smile.

‘’But are you going to, Shiro?’’ he insisted.

‘’Yeah, sure. I said I would.’’

‘’What flavour?’’ Keith asked.

‘’Whatever you want.’’

‘’Wrong answer, Shiro’’ Keith said crossing his arms.

Takashi though for a moment.

‘’Tell me that this won’t determine if you want me to be your brother or not.’’ he said.

‘’Dunno.’’ Keith said, shrugging. ‘’I just like one flavour.’’

‘’Okay.’’ Takashi sighed. He was starting to feel scared. Would Keith really just get up and leave if he didn’t say the right one? What could it be? What was his own favourite flavour? When was the last time he had an ice-cream?

He closed his eyes and breathed, pretty sure Keith was still looking at him. All eyes and expectation.

‘’Vanila?’’

Something on Keith’s face illuminated.

‘’Yes!’’ he shouted, and the kid was on him in seconds, his backpack lying on the floor.’’Correct answer!’’

‘’Brilliant.’’ he said sighing, relieved. Keith smiled at him, bright and innocent and just- happy. Takashi ruffled his messy hair.

‘’Brilliant.’’ Keith repeated.

They went for the ice cream and Takashi took a picture (or several) of Keith eating, and sent some to Thace and Matt.

  
This wasn’t perfect. But it was fine for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it!  
> :D

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so.  
> I hope you enjoyed this????  
> I'm quiiiiite anxious about this, can you tell? :D  
> The second part will probably be published on a few days??  
> Because I'm stressed and my only way to vent is writing now that I can barely train anymore  
> Anyways  
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
